Inaction and Amnesty: The Never-ending Story of Failed American Immigration Policy

The focus of President Bush's weekly radio address often takes to speaking about how support for the war in Iraq is necessary and how his immigration policy must be supported. While unfortunately there is no end to the War in Iraq in sight, the President's Immigration Reform might have had met it's final end this past weekend when the Immigration Bill was set aside indefinitely.

Bush's attempts at reforming the US Immigration system are unique in his eight year Presidency. While Democrats often shy away from supporting any policy of the Bush Administration, with regards to immigration varied opinions from both Democrats and Republicans placed members of both parties at different ends of the chess board. Ironically many Democrats supported much of the Bill's reforms, while many Republicans felt the Bill offered too much of an Amnesty and not enough security against illegal immigrants and possible terrorist threats. Not all Democrats supported the Bill however, seeing the Bill not going far enough in forming a realistic immigration policy. In the end, the lack of support from both parties allowed the Bill to be set aside last Thursday in the US Senate.

Bush and supporters of the legislation still are seeking to push the Bill forward despite the major setback in the US Senate. While Bush attempted to placate some Republican's concerns over the Bill by saying in his Radio Address that the Bill is far from being an "Amnesty" for illegal immigrants, he also is fully aware that the Bill is not perfect. Supporters of the Bill, both Democrats and Republicans feel that the Bill was extinguished much too soon, and that "stall tactics" and "fear mongering" (see video in above link) on both sides arising from past tensions has really not given a chance to immigration reform that was really lost too soon for legislation that is too crucial to be forgotten.

Bush's legacy will not be one of the Compromising President, but with regards to immigration reform the work and efforts and necessity of the new Bill should be considered more important than the quick dismissal it has received in the US Senate last week. While immigration reform is most likely a dead deal right now in the US, its importance has not diminished despite bi-partisan conflict and lack of support for Presidential initiatives on all fronts. The next President, whoever they will be, will likely face similar bi-partisan challenges on all policy decisions in the futureand it is likely that the lack of support for this Bill and the millions of legal and illegal immigrants in the US will be one of the next major campaign issues for the future President.Second as always to Iraq of course!